Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt in a new “Mission Impossible” film that looks just like the old “Mission Impossible” film, according to a new trailer. But in Hollywood, studios tend to go with what they know, as long as it pays.

And, the Mission Impossible franchise has done more than carry its weight. Through three films, the series has generated more than $1.4 billion against a cost of about $350 million.

That means Cruise, 49, is bank in that role, and studio bigwigs probably aren’t anxious to see a lot of tinkering with a winning formula.

Although the last film, MI III, was the worst performing at the box office, it still did a respectable $398 million, and was the best reviewed film in the series, according to rottentomatoes.

Besides, MI fans probably want Cruise to re-employ (to put it politely) all of his old tricks, from outrunning explosions and jumping off buildings to showing off his core body strength by dangling from wires inches off the floor.

As always, Cruise does most of his own stunts and filmed on location in Dubai, Prague, Moscow, Mumbai and Vancouver.

The new trailer for “Mission: Impossible 4 – Ghost Protocol” opens appropriately enough with an explosion. This one is in the Kremlin and it causes the U.S. government to disavow the Impossible Mission Force, aka IMF.

Agent Hunt is set up to take the fall, but his superior allows him to escape so he can track down the real culprits.

Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton and British actor Simon Pegg co-star in the film, which is set to open on Dec. 16.

Check out the new trailer below.